Dell OptiPlex 3080M vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3080M and Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3080M which was released in 2020. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small is older and entered production in 2015.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3080M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small and will fit more easily under your desk.
Processor
Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3080M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3080M has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.
The Dell OptiPlex 3080M is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.
Ports
In total the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3080M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3080M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small is the better choice.
The Dell OptiPlex 3080M comes with an HDMI port, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).
SATA ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3080M has 1 slot(s).
If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the Dell OptiPlex 3080M. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.
Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!
Power Supply
Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 3080M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Small has a more powerful one rated at 210 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.
Motherboard
